Introduction:
Zobah, also spelled as "Zoba," is an ancient Aramean kingdom mentioned in the Old Testament. It played a significant role in the history of Israel during the reigns of King Saul and King David. The kingdom of Zobah was located in the region of Syria, north of Israel, and was known for its military strength and wealth.

Biblical References:
Zobah is first mentioned in the context of King Saul's military campaigns. In 1 Samuel 14:47 , it is recorded: "After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them." This passage highlights Zobah as one of the adversaries of Israel during Saul's reign.

The kingdom of Zobah is more prominently featured during the reign of King David. In 2 Samuel 8:3-4 , it is written: "David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his control along the Euphrates River. David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but he spared enough for a hundred chariots." This victory over Zobah was part of David's broader campaign to establish Israel's dominance in the region.

Further details of David's conflict with Zobah are found in 1 Chronicles 18:3-4 , which parallels the account in 2 Samuel. The Chronicles account emphasizes David's military prowess and God's favor upon him, as he expanded Israel's territory and influence.

Historical and Geographical Context:
Zobah was a significant Aramean kingdom during the early monarchy period of Israel. Its exact location is not definitively known, but it is generally believed to have been situated in the region of modern-day Syria, possibly near the city of Aleppo. The kingdom's strategic location made it a formidable power, controlling trade routes and possessing a strong military.

The king of Zobah during David's time, Hadadezer, is noted for his attempts to expand his influence along the Euphrates River. This expansionist policy brought him into direct conflict with David, who sought to secure Israel's borders and assert control over neighboring territories.

Theological Significance:
The accounts of Zobah in the Bible illustrate the theme of God's providence and favor upon Israel, particularly during the reign of David. The victories over Zobah and other neighboring kingdoms are seen as a fulfillment of God's promises to establish Israel as a powerful nation under David's leadership. These narratives also underscore the importance of obedience to God and reliance on His strength in achieving success and prosperity.

Cultural and Political Influence:
Zobah's interactions with Israel reflect the complex political landscape of the ancient Near East. The kingdom's wealth and military capabilities made it a significant player in regional politics. The defeat of Zobah by David not only secured Israel's northern borders but also demonstrated the shifting power dynamics in the region, with Israel emerging as a dominant force under David's rule.

Conclusion:
While the kingdom of Zobah eventually fades from the biblical narrative, its interactions with Israel during the reigns of Saul and David provide valuable insights into the historical and theological context of the Old Testament. The accounts of Zobah serve as a testament to God's faithfulness to His people and the unfolding of His divine plan through the history of Israel.Zobah

Zobebah, an army; warring

Zobah

A country of Syria, whose king carried on war with Saul and David, 1 Samuel 14:47 2 Samuel 8:3 10:6. It seems to have lain near Damascus, and to have included the city Hamath conquered by Solomon, 2 Chronicles 8:3, but also to have extended towards the Euphrates, 2 Samuel 8:3.

Aram-Zobah, (Psalm 60, title), a Syrian province or kingdom to the south of Coele-Syria, and extending from the eastern slopes of Lebanon north and east toward the Euphrates. Saul and David had war with ZOBAH

zo'-ba (tsobhah; Souba): The name is derived by Halevy from zehobhah as referring to its supplies of "bright yellow" brass; but this word might be more appropriately used to contrast its cornfields with white Lebanon. Zobah was an Aramean kingdom of which we have the first notice in Saul's wars (1 Samuel 14:47).

(1) David's First War.

When David sought to extend his boundary to the Euphrates, he came into contact with its king Hadadezer, and a great battle was fought in which David took many prisoners. Damascus, however, came to the rescue and fresh resistance was made, but a complete rout followed and great spoil fell to the victor, as well as access to the rich copper mines of Tebah and Berothai. Toi, king of Hamath, who had suffered in war with Hadadezer, now sent his son on an embassy with greetings and gifts to David (2 Samuel 8:3-12 1 Chronicles 18:3-12). See Psalm 60, title.

(2) David's Second War.

During David's Ammonite war, the enemy was strengthened by alliance with Zobah, Maacah and Beth-rehob, and Israel was attacked from both North and South at the same time. The northern confederation was defeated by Joab, but Hadadezer again gathered an army, including levies from beyond the Euphrates. These, under Shobach the captain of the host, were met by David in person at Helam, and a great slaughter ensued, Shobach himself being among the slain (2 Samuel 10:6-19, the King James Version "Zoba"; 1 Chronicles 19:3-19). Rezon, son of Eliada, now broke away from Hadadezer and, getting possession of Damascus, set up a kingdom hostile to Israel (1 Kings 11:23-25). Solomon seems (2 Chronicles 8:3) to have invaded and subdued Hamath-zobah, but the text, especially Septuagint, is obscure.

(3) Geographical Position.

We can now consider the vexed question of the situation and extent of Aram-zobah. (See SYRIA, 4, (10).) In addition to the Old Testament references we have the Assyrian name lists. In these Subiti is placed between Kui and Zemar, and, where it is otherwise referred to, a position is implied between Hamath and Damascus. It would thus lie along the eastern slopes of Anti-Lebanon extending thence to the desert, and in the north it may have at times included Emesa (modern Homs) around which Noldeke would locate it. Damascus was probably a tributary state till seized by Rezon. Winckler would identify it with another Cubiti, a place in the Hauran mentioned by Assurbanipal on the Hassam Cylinder vii, lines 110-12. This latter may be the native place of Igal, one of David's "thirty" (2 Samuel 23:36), who is named among eastern Israelites.

The kingdom of Zobah in addition to its mineral wealth must have been rich in vineyards and fruitful fields, and its conquest must have added greatly to the wealth and power of Israel's king.

W. M. Christie

760. Aram Tsobah -- Aram-zobah
Aram Tsobah. 759, 760. Aram Tsobah. 761 . Aram-zobah. Transliteration: Aram
Tsobah Phonetic Spelling: (ar-am' tso-baw') Short Definition: Aram-zobah. ... Aram-zobah ...
/hebrew/760.htm - 6k

6678. Tsoba -- an Aramean (Syrian) kingdom
... Tsoba or Tsobah. 6679 . an Aramean (Syrian) kingdom. Transliteration: Tsoba or
Tsobah Phonetic Spelling: (tso-baw') Short Definition: Zobah. ... Zoba, Zobah. ...
/hebrew/6678.htm - 6k

2578. Chamath Tsobah -- a place North of Damascus
... a place North of Damascus. Transliteration: Chamath Tsobah Phonetic Spelling:
(kham-ath' tso-baw') Short Definition: Hamath-zobah. ... Hamath-Zobah. ...
/hebrew/2578.htm - 6k

The Nations of the North-East
... The war with Ammon had brought David into conflict with Zobah, an Aramaic kingdom
which under Hadad-ezer was aiming at the conquest of the whole of Syria. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iv the nations of.htm

'More than Conquerors through Him'
... But, in any case, the Ammonite king summoned his Syrian allies from a number of
small states of which we barely know the names, the chief of which was Zobah. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/more than conquerors through him.htm

A Ruler who Wronged his People
... gods. Then God raised up as a foe against him Rezon, the son of Eliada,
who had fled from his master, Hadadezer, king of Zobah. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/a ruler who wronged his.htm

Psalm 60
... To the chief Musician upon Shushan-eduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove
with Aram-naharaim, and with Aram-zobah, when Joab returned and smote of ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/psalm 60.htm

Jews and Gentiles in "The Land"
... Syria, does not include that country alone, but all the lands which, according to
the Rabbis, David had subdued, such as Mesopotamia, Syria, Zobah, Achlab, etc ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 2 jews and gentiles.htm

The Reign of Saul.
... a foolish command. (3) Against Moab, Ammon, Edom and Zobah (I:Sam.14:47)
of which there are no particulars given. (4) Against the ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter x the reign of.htm

Concerning Rehoboam, and How God Inflicted Punishment Upon Him for ...
... of gold, and the shields, which Solomon the king had made; nay, he did not leave
the golden quivers which David had taken from the king of Zobah, and had ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 10 concerning rehoboam and.htm

In Palestine - Jews and Gentiles in the Land' - their Mutual ...
... the conquests made by David in the most prosperous times of the Jewish commonwealth,
supposed to have extended over Mesopotamia, Syria, Zobah, Achlah, &c. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vii in palestine -.htm

The Israelites
... Saul was able to turn his arms against the Amalekite marauders of the desert,
as well as the princes of Zobah to the north-east of Ammon. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

The Later Hebrew Histories.
... In 2 Samuel 8:4, we are told that in David's victory over Hadadezer king of Zobah,
he took from the latter "a thousand and seven hundred horsemen." In 1 ...
/.../gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter vi the later hebrew.htm

Zobah (15 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary =Aram-Zobah, (Psalm 60, title), a Syrian province or kingdom
to ... Saul and David had war with. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ZOBAH. ...
/z/zobah.htm - 15k

Aram-zobah (2 Occurrences)
Aram-zobah. Aramzobah, Aram-zobah. Aran . Easton's Bible Dictionary ... Int. Standard
Bible Encyclopedia. ARAM-ZOBAH. a-ram-zo'-ba. See SYRIA. ...
/a/aram-zobah.htm - 7k

Hadadezer (18 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Hadad is help; called also Hadarezer, Adod is his
help, the king of Zobah. Hanun, the king of the Ammonites ...
/h/hadadezer.htm - 15k

Hadade'zer (18 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 8:3 David smote also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went
to establish his dominion at the river Euphrates. (See RSV). ...
/h/hadade'zer.htm - 11k

Rehob (12 Occurrences)
... It is mentioned again along with the kingdom of Zobah in connection with the wars
of Saul (1 Samuel 14:47 Septuagint Lag.), and as having been associated with ...
/r/rehob.htm - 13k

Rezon (3 Occurrences)
... Abandoning the service of Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, on the occasion of his being
defeated by David, he became the "captain over a band" of marauders, and ...
/r/rezon.htm - 9k

Zoba (2 Occurrences)
... of Ammon saw that they were become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and
hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand ...
/z/zoba.htm - 7k

Igal (3 Occurrences)
... Avengers. (1.) Numbers 13:7, one of the spies of the tribe of Issachar. (2.) Son
of Nathan of Zobah, and one of David's warriors (2 Samuel 23:36). ...
/i/igal.htm - 8k

Tob (5 Occurrences)
... place. Ptolemy (v.19) speaks of Thauba, a place to the Southwest of Zobah,
which may possibly be Tobit. The Talmud (Neubauer, Geog. ...
/t/tob.htm - 10k

Hadarezer (10 Occurrences)
... (KJV ASV DBY WBS). 1 Chronicles 18:3 And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto
Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates. ...
/h/hadarezer.htm - 10k

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